Five out of five. American Chris Blevins continues his absolute dominance in Short Track this season and once again left his mark on the fifth round of the World Cup held in Val di Sole. In an explosive and highly tactical race, the Specialized Factory Racing rider launched a devastating attack on the final lap that earned him another victory ahead of his teammate Victor Koretzky and the combative German Luca Schwarzbauer.
The men’s event began with the last-minute withdrawal of XCO World Champion Alan Hatherly, but the spectacle didn’t suffer. From the first corner, the Specialized team took control with a superb trio: Blevins, Koretzky, and Chilean Martin Vidaurre. Only Schwarzbauer managed to sneak between them into the top positions.
The pace was set at an extremely high level from the start, with a 12-lap circuit where the battle for position was constant. Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo tried to respond on the SCOTT-SRAM bikes, but the front group remained compact for most of the race, despite the stumbling blocks.
Schwarzbauer made the most generous effort, bravely leading for several laps, albeit with a dozen rivals always lurking.
Everything was decided on the final lap, when Blevins changed pace with acceleration that no one could match. Koretzky secured the one-two for Specialized, and Schwarzbauer held on to the podium, crossing the finish line in third place.
Top 10 – Men’s Short Track Val di Sole 2025
1.- Chris Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) – 20:13
2.- Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) – +1s
3.- Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) – +1s
4.- Thomas Litscher (Cabtech Racing Team) – +1s
5.- Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) – +3s
6.- Lars Forster (Thömus Maxon) – +4s
7.- Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) – +4s
8.- Carter Woods (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) – +4s
9.- Marcel Guerrini (Bixs Performance Race Team) – +4s
10.- Vital Albin (Thömus Maxon) – +5s
Puck Pieterse Wins in Val di Sole with a Devastating Final Attack
The 2025 Val di Sole World Cup kicked off with an elite women’s Short Track race that didn’t disappoint. Despite the last-minute absence of overall leader Evie Richards, the event brought together a field of favorites, including once again Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse, who won in a tight final sprint over Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds.
From the start, the race maintained a high pace marked by the dry and dusty Italian track. Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford) led the group in the early stages, while an inspired Puck Pieterse charged forward from behind, needing just four laps to reach the front.
The XCO World Champion was quick to test the rest of the field with a pace that stretched the field and caused the first major break. The very large front group was the scene of multiple mid-race attacks, with notable attempts by Bec Henderson (Orbea) and Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), to which Pieterse responded authoritatively.
In the final two laps, the heat and dust took their toll. Only the strongest held the pace: Pieterse, Rissveds, Jennifer Jackson, and Laura Stigger, among others. A final attack by Jackson at the bell was met by Pieterse with an explosive change of pace that only Rissveds could keep up with.
Finally, the Dutchwoman from Alpecin-Deceuninck crossed the finish line first, with the Swede right on her wheel and Stigger rounding out the podium after a great final comeback.
Top 10 – Women’s Short Track Val di Sole 2025
1.-Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) – 20:53
2.- Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) – +0s
3.- Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) – +1s
4.- Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) – +5s
5.-Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) – +5s
6.- Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) – +8s
7.- Linda Indergand (LIV Factory Racing) – +9s
8.- Steffi Häberlin – +10s
9.- Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) – +11s
10.- Rebecca Henderson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) – +12s
Source: www.brujulabike.com